Subscribe To

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The Nutrition Debate #166: What About GMOs?

For the uninitiated, GMOs are
genetically modified organisms. “Genetically modified organisms are made by
forcing genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, animals or humans,
into the DNA of a food crop or animal to introduce a new trait,” according to a
flyer from the Institute for Responsible Technology I picked it up at a
screening of the movie “Genetic Roulette” last summer. The Institute is an educational
advocacy group, founded in 2003, whose “Campaign for Healthier Eating in
America” goal is the rejection of GM foods in the U.S.

GMOs
are thus distinguishable from hybridization. A hybrid is a cross between two
related species or cultivars. Hybridization has happened naturally throughout
history through cross-pollination, but gardeners, farmers and horticulturists
have created the bulk of modern hybrids. GMOs are created by injecting an unrelated species into the DNA of
a food crop or animal. For example, a gene from the California bay tree,
inserted into a rapeseed plant, produces canola oil with
more lauric acid. Most commercially available GMO products use bacteria to
transform a plant, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a soil bacterium. However,
more bizarre combinations are under development such as “PopEye pigs” that have
a spinach gene which reduces the saturated fat in favor of linoleic acid. (More
PUFA, what a bad idea!)

According
to the same brochure, “there are eight GM food crops: corn, soy, canola (oil),
cottonseed (oil), sugar from sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, and a small amount
of zucchini and yellow crookneck squash. Derivatives of these GMOs, such as vegetable oil, corn syrup, and soy
lecithin, are found in more than 70% of supermarket foods. GMOs are also fed to
animals that provide meat, milk, and eggs.”

For me, it’s pretty easy to largely avoid
GMOs, which out of a prudent amount of caution, I regard as a good thing to do.
I don’t eat corn (except for a few locally-grown ears during our local growing
season), soy (except for organic fermented soy sauce), canola oil (no fried
foods or mayonnaise made with canola oil), no added sugars, period (either cane
or beet), and no papaya. But we do, however, occasionally sauté or grill
zucchini and/or yellow squash in season.

Finally, we don’t drink milk and only
buy organic, heavy whipping cream for use in our coffee. All our eggs are
bought at a farmers’ market where I can see for myself that the hens are pasture-raised.
In fact, they mimic Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm method of rotational
pasturing. I like cheese, and there may be a problem there. I also like fatty
meats, and I’m afraid GMOs are fed to some of the meats we buy, especially beef
and chicken. I’m not worried about veal, though, because I buy it from a local
farmer I know, or lamb, since it is produced in New Zealand and is likely grass
fed/finished. Pork I’m not sure about, and all our fish is wild caught.

But,
the Institute for Responsible Technology warns us that “processed foods often
have hidden GM sources (unless they are organic or declared non-GMO).” The
brochure contains a list of about 100 such ingredients. Their advice: “To avoid
GMOs, you can avoid brands with the at-risk ingredients, purchase organic
products, or look for non-GMO labels, especially the third party Non-GMO Product Verified seal. To make
it easier,” they say, “go to NonGMOShoppingGuide.com
or download the free iPhone app ShopNoGMO,
for a list of thousands of verified non-GMO products.” Here are some “tips”
from the Institute for Responsible Technology brochure:

·If a non-organic product made in North
America lists “sugar” as an ingredient (and NOT pure cane sugar), then it is
almost certainly a combination of sugar from both cane and GM sugar beets.

·The sweetener aspartame (also known as NutraSweet
and Equal) is derived from genetically engineered organisms. Numerous studies
and thousands of consumer complaints link it with disorders ranging from
seizures to tumors.

·In addition, these brands almost certainly
contain derivatives from GM corn and milk from cows treated with GM bovine
growth hormone. The government’s WIC program, which distributes free infant
formula to more than 2 million moms in all 50 states, only offers GMO brands.

“Note: The only commercial non-GMO
infant formulas that we have identified thus far are the organic brands.”

“The general public has the false
impression that genetic engineering is precise. In truth, it’s sub-microscopic
shooting from the hip, resulting in unpredictableand potentially dangerous changes in the
organisms’ DNA and the health properties of food,” according to Robin Bernhoft,
MD, Surgeon, and former president of the AAEM.

Given that the diet/heart
hypothesis was a giant epidemiological experiment on the entire US population,
and the evidence today that it was a giant mistake, I think a cautious approach
to GMOs is justified. Eat real food!

About Me

I was diagnosed a Type 2 diabetic in 1986. I started a Very Low Carb diet (Atkins Induction) in 2002 to lose weight. I didn’t realize at the time that it would put my diabetes in clinical remission, or that I would be able to give up almost all of my oral diabetes meds. I also didn’t understand that, as I lost weight and continued to eat Very Low Carb, my blood lipids would dramatically improve (doubling my HDL and cutting my triglycerides by 2/3rds) and that my blood pressure would drop from 130/90 to 110/70 on the same meds.
Over the years I changed from Atkins to the Bernstein Diet (designed for diabetics) and, altogether lost 170 pounds. I later regained some and then lost some. As long as I eat Very Low Carb, I am not hungry and I have lots of energy. And I no longer have any of the indications of Metabolic Syndrome.
My goal, as long as I have excess body fat, is to remain continuously in a ketogenic state, both for blood glucose regulation and continued weight loss. I expect that this regimen will continue to provide the benefits of reduced systemic inflammation, improved blood lipids and lower blood pressure as well.